Pretoria - Scores of people, young and old, have started arriving at Lucas Moripe Stadium, Atteridgevile, for the World Festival of Youth and Students (WFYS).
The festival, taking place in South Africa for the first time, brings together thousands of young people from more than 100 countries, who will for the next nine days discuss issues facing youth around the world. Delegates from different countries are assembled in one part of the stadium, blowing vuvuzelas and waving their respective flags.
Among the dignitaries expected to arrive shortly is Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, who will give an opening address ahead of the opening ceremony. President Jacob Zuma is expected to address the event later in the evening.
While the R69 million that went towards organizing the event has been met with fierce criticism, National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) chairperson Andile Lungisa said the festival is worth every cent.
"This is an international event, we are talking thousands of people who have been flocking to our country to attend the festival and there is no doubt about the value of the festival...it's good for South Africa and it's going to benefit the young people of our country," he said.
The NYDA had partnered with several institutions to bring the event to South Africa following an intense bidding process.
It said its objective is to unite the youth of the world and mobilise them around the banner of promoting universal principles of peace, freedom and social transformation to create a world free of human rights abuses and creation of sustainable environments.
